Lifestyle
Everyday athletes put the HUAWEI FreeArc to the test at Pretty Huge
Get your chance to experience the FreeArc until May 30, 2025!
HUAWEI is pushing the pace on fitness and innovation. The tech giant recently partnered with Pretty Huge, one of Metro Manila’s premier sports and training facilities.
Athletes and fitness enthusiasts get to experience the all-new HUAWEI FreeArc in real training environments until May 30, 2025 at Pretty Huge, SM Aura.
Whether you’re into bootcamp-style workouts or deep-stretch yoga, the FreeArc is designed to keep up with every move comfortably, securely, and with crisp sound quality.
This partnership brings together HUAWEI’s smart wearables and Pretty Huge’s high-performance fitness culture, championing holistic wellness through tech that fits seamlessly into your routine.
Built for every movement
The HUAWEI FreeArc immediately stood out to athletes at Pretty Huge for its snug yet breathable open-ear fit, which makes it ideal for high-intensity training.
Featuring a C-Bridge design, a 140° Optimal Triangle structure, and a gravity-balanced build, the FreeArc stayed in place even during explosive drills.
“It just doesn’t move,” said Ebong Sonido, who tested the FreeArc during a workout. “I can jump, run, hang upside down and it’s still there. Plus, it feels so light, I forget I’m wearing it.”
Crafted from skin-friendly, hypoallergenic liquid silicone, the earbuds feature an S-shaped curvature that molds to your ear’s natural contours and a 0.7mm Ni-Ti shape-memory alloy for lasting comfort even during extended training sessions.
Crisp sound, no compromises
For workouts that demand focus and energy, sound quality matters. The FreeArc delivers with its 17x12mm high-sensitivity driver, dual-mic layout, and four-layer noise cancellation.
Users reported strong bass and clear vocals, without drowning out coaches or ambient cues.
“It feels like my playlist was cheering me on,” shared Ralph Combalicer, another Pretty Huge athlete. “I love that I can still hear my coach while staying locked into my own music.”
Thanks to its multi-EQ modes and 4m/s wind-noise resistance, users can tailor the sound to their environment — whether they’re outdoors, on the move, or training with others.
Built to sweat
With IP57 water resistance, the HUAWEI FreeArc is built to handle the realities of sweaty summer workouts, splashes, and humidity. Even at peak intensity, the earbuds continue to perform without a hitch.
“I sweat a lot during training,” Ralph added, “but the FreeArc never skipped a beat.”
Smart features for everyday athletes
The FreeArc is also designed for convenience. With up to 7 hours of playback on a single charge (and up to 28 hours with the case), it easily powers through multiple workouts. A quick 10-minute top-up gives you 3 hours of playback.
Other features include Dual Device Connection for seamless switching between your watch and phone, plus gesture controls that let users manage audio without pulling out their device.
“I don’t even have to touch my phone,” said Ebong. “The controls are that smooth.”
Price, availability
You can test the HUAWEI FreeArc at Pretty Huge, SM Aura until May 30, 2025, and experience the open-ear audio advantage firsthand.
The earbuds are now available at a special price of PhP 4,999 (from PhP 6,999) on Shopee, Lazada, TikTok, and the HUAWEI Online Store.
For a limited time, customers can also enjoy a PhP 300 voucher, plus free gifts such as an umbrella (worth PhP 999) for online purchases or a coffee cup (worth PhP 999) when you buy in-store.
Entertainment
ITZY’s YUNA is Infinix’s first ever global brand ambassador
Infinix is in with YUNA in the scene
Infinix is entering a new era — and the brand is bringing one of K-Pop’s most sought-after stars along the ride.
A first for Infinix
In line with the launch of the latest NOTE 60 series, Infinix has also named YUNA of ITZY as its very first Global Brand Ambassador. The company calls this a bold step forward for both innovation and style.
For the record, this is the first time Infinix has tapped a global ambassador — and the choice makes sense. YUNA is known for her confidence, vibrant energy, and unapologetic self-expression. These qualities align closely with Infinix’s “Joy Tech, Beyond Limits” philosophy.
In a statement, YUNA shared her excitement about the partnership. She said she’s looking forward to connecting with fans in a new way and creating meaningful stories together with the brand.
For Infinix, this collaboration is more than just a celebrity endorsement. It signals a shift in how the company wants to position itself globally — not just as a smartphone maker, but as a lifestyle tech brand for expressive, tech-savvy youth.
The more, the merrier
The partnership goes along the debut of the NOTE 60 Series, further fueling Infinix’s move toward a more premium smartphone experience.
Like YUNA, the NOTE 60 line also brings notable names in the table:
- Powered by Snapdragon from Qualcomm
- Design collaboration with Pininfarina
- Audio tuned with JBL
It’s a clear attempt that Infinix wanted to elevate both performance and design by blending in flagship-level specs, more refined aesthetics, and immersive sound altogether.
Infinix says this launch also marks its expansion into more premium international markets.
With YUNA as the face of the brand, the company hopes to strengthen its appeal among younger users who want both powerful hardware and a device that matches their personality.
Rather than focusing purely on specs, Infinix is leaning into storytelling — highlighting how technology can spark creativity, joy, and individuality.
With the NOTE 60 Series and YUNA front and center, Infinix appears ready to redefine its brand identity on a global scale.
I’m starting to think that cosmic horror is near-impossible to adapt to the big screen. Often, the point of this subgenre of horror is to showcase the unfathomable, a horror so unknowable that it’s impossible to describe. Now, for a medium that thrives on “show, don’t tell,” a full-length movie doesn’t seem like the best format for this type of horror. I’ve seen so many cosmic horror films, and a majority of them fail to land the satisfaction of a more traditional horror film.
Iron Lung, directed by and starring Markiplier, takes a stab at this elusively complex genre.
After the sudden disappearance of stars and planets in the universe, a lone space station explores a nearby moon to search for a way to save humanity. The catch is that the entire moon is covered in an ocean of blood. A convict, played by Markiplier, is tasked with exploring the moon in a one-man submersible, in exchange for his freedom.
Naturally, an ocean of blood isn’t the best place to be. The moon’s ocean hides mysteries and monsters beneath all the gore.
On the impossibility of cosmic horror
Though a movie is all about showing and not telling, Iron Lung navigates through these intricacies by not showing anything.
Because everything is just blood outside, the submarine needs a special camera that takes only grainy photos directly in front of the submersible. There’s always a sense of claustrophobic dread. What’s outside the submarine? What were those sounds? Did the camera really take a photo of something alive?
The film’s premise alone is a perfect source of horror. This is where cosmic horror thrives: on the questions, on the tiny sneak peeks of a monster lurking around the corner.
But, then again, this is also where the subgenre can paint itself into a corner. Eventually, audiences ask for more. They need to see and know the beast for real. Think Cloverfield, when the massive alien finally shows its face, or The Nun with… well, The Nun.
It’s an unwritten rule in horror films that the monster must make an appearance. It becomes a paradox for cosmic horror because the beast must also be unknowable.
When the beast finally shows up in Iron Lung, the audience never learns an understandable reason why it’s stalking the submarine. It’s not hungry, it doesn’t want revenge, and it doesn’t want to take over the world. It just is.
Is that a satisfying enough conclusion? If you’re a fan of cosmic horror, then it’s par for the course. However, if you’re more used to the more traditional horror film, it might leave you wanting more.
On madness
A mysterious monster isn’t the only thing that cosmic horror is known for. It’s also about madness and how the protagonist goes insane after seeing the unknown.
It’s apropos, then, that the convict starts hallucinating right after seeing a glimpse of the ocean’s beast. He starts to lose track of what’s real and what’s not.
In other movies, madness is an effective tool in subverting expectations and amplifying the horror. For example, in The Lighthouse, Winslow, the protagonist, also loses his sanity and questions reality. The film is all about this descent into madness and the questionable actions as a result from it. In Shutter Island, madness is a punchline, a plot twist that invites the audience to revisit the entire film and question their own perception.
Iron Lung, however, is neither a complete descent nor a plot twist. Rather, it’s a clear third act stemming from the convict’s encounter with the monster.
Since it’s clearly delineated in the third act, it’s hard to empathize with the convict’s plight. There’s a sense of vertigo moving from a creature feature into, in the convict’s own words, “alien shit” where you’re not sure of what’s real. Likewise, it’s not a plot twist either. You don’t reevaluate whether the entire movie was a hallucination.
Madness is understandably a major plot point of the original game that the movie is based on. However, its translation into film isn’t the smoothest. It’s both too short and too long.
But is it a good film?
Despite its struggle with the format, Iron Lung is still a spirited attempt at a one-room horror film. Markiplier melds into his role and doesn’t just showcase his on-screen YouTube personality.
The premise is, at once, frightening. It’s eerie and creepy. There is always a pervasive need to figure out what comes next. That’s pretty much what you want from a movie anyway. Yes, the ending might be polarizing, especially to those more used to the usual horror film, but the journey is still worth the price of admission.
And, at the very least, the film got me interested in watching Mark’s original playthroughs.
Entertainment
New Mortal Kombat II trailer unveils release date, expanded universe
In cinemas starting May 6
The latest trailer for upcoming film Mortal Kombat II has revealed its release date. The action fantasy film will show in cinemas and IMAX starting May 6 (Philippines; May 8 in the United States).
Directed by returning filmmaker Simon McQuoid, the film stars Karl Urban as the fan-favorite martial arts actor Johnny Cage.
Urban is joined by an expansive cast including Adeline Rudolph (Kitana), Tati Gabrielle (Jade), Jessica McNamee (Sonya Blade), Ludi Lin (Liu Kang), Mehcad Brooks (Jax), and Lewis Tan (Cole Young).
The villainous roster is bolstered by Martyn Ford as the towering Shao Kahn, Damon Herriman as the sorcerer Quan Chi, and Chin Han returning as Shang Tsung.
Rounding out the legendary lineup are Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han (teased to return as Noob Saibot), and Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion.
In addition, a new poster has been released:
In Mortal Kombat II, Urban’s Johnny Cage takes center stage as the primary protagonist following the events of the 2021 reboot, Mortal Kombat.
Despite being washed-up, he gets desperately recruited to give the Earthrealm defenders a chance through a looming tournament where the fate of the world is at stake. A loss would grant the ruthless Shao Kahn the right to conquer Earthrealm.
The new trailer opens up with Cage being able to finally grasp his supernatural potential, after being reluctant and clueless at first.
The footage then previews a significantly expanded cinematic universe, with glimpses of the Wastelands of Outworld and the lush yet dangerous realm of Edenia.
It culminates in what is expected from a no-holds-barred tournament which will decide the survival of the entire world — while featuring fan-favorite champions.
Watch the full trailer below:
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